Madden NFL 09 Strategy Guide

A brief foreword

The following is a note I would write to EA if any of the following were applicable: A) if EA listened, B) if anyone else cared, or C) if there were somewhere to send it – don’t worry, I haven’t and don’t plan to look.**

Dear EA, I appreciate the effort of this year’s Madden, but this game is becoming more and more unlike football. I understand programming AI that can play football must be hard, but scripting, rubberband AI, sliders, hidden sliders, and animations are not the answer. I’m sure it’s nice and easy to copy and paste last year’s tackle animations to this year, but if you actually compare those to how NFL players tackle, you’ll see that your animations don’t fly.

The main thing to fix is how you let the CPU quarterback throw off his back foot on any play. I’m sure Madden himself would say, “Now he should have never thrown that ball off his back foot, boom!”

Is it too much to ask for players to walk into a game with both teams on an equal field and the players decide the game, rather than sliders, scripting, and animations? I have been a loyal fan for many years, but other than crazy games against other gamers, I’m starting to understand why many people have long lost faith in the Madden franchise for not offering enough innovation. Madden 09 is just NCAA 09 in new packaging and some glitter to make it look better. For next year, please try to make a game that better reflects the NFL.

TheGum.

Controls

This is the most comprehensive controls section I’ve ever made, so you better like it. I hope they all match up with NCAA controls, as they are the same games, except for pump fakes and throwing away, which was TONS of fun to adjust to by the way.

Kick – LS change height and direction of kick; RS down until in the red, then up in the direction when in the red or close to it for power. Don’t adjust kickoff height please.
Punt – same as kick, just know low punts will be returned easier.
Fair catch – TRI (Y)
Kneel in endzone before leaving – don’t move
All other moves apply when returning.